Thermal, California, USA – January 28, 2022 – International athletes took over the Grand Prix Arena again Friday afternoon at the Desert International Horse Park (DIHP) for the $36,600 Talus Speed 1.50m CSI 3*, set over a course designed by Mexico’s Manuel Esparza. Forty-one entries tested the speed track one by one, testing their gears and attempting to overtake the lead as the quickest fault-free round. In the end it was Lindsay Archer (USA) aboard Jarpur who stole the spotlight with a blazing fast clear round that couldn’t be caught.the United States’ Lindsay Archer and Rhys Farms, LLC’s Jarupur to come out on top. 

The course wound tightly around the entire Grand Prix Arena, featuring 12 obstacles including a vertical-oxer double combination, an oxer-vertical double combination, a double of verticals, and numerous places for tight turns and bending lines to take out strides for quicker times.As the pathfinder for the course, Keri Potter (USA) and Ariella La Sirene suffered an unfortunate rail on course before crossing the timers in 76.059 seconds, leaving the door open for those to follow. 

The first clear effort would be seen by Saree Gordon-Solonki (ISR) just three rounds later, piloting Azuro 108 to a clean time of 78.19 seconds. Her lead was short lived as Canada’s Ali Ramsay slipped into the leading spot just one round later aboard Bonita VH Keizershof Z. The quick duo flew through the timers in a swift 72.38 seconds, shaving over six seconds off of Gordon-Solonki’s leading time. Lindsay Archer (USA) and Jarpur entered the Grand Prix Arena next and immediately slipped into the top spot, besting the time by over one second to finish in 69.01 seconds. 

Archer opted for nearly all the inside turns the difficult course had to offer, sliding inside the combination from fence one to two, then pulling off a sharp inside turn back to the oxer at fence three. A tight rollback to a slice on fence nine gave her the perfect approach to finish the course in a speedy fashion and overtake the lead.

Though the remaining 33 horse-and-athlete combinations would put forth a valiant effort at unseating Archer, none could quite match her finesse around the course. In the end, her stellar round with the 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding would be enough to secure the first place finish. Ireland’s Nicky Galligan (IRL) came close, leaving all of the rails intact aboard his own Javas Miss Jordan and notching 69.12 seconds on the clock to ultimately claim second place. Rounding out the top three was Cassio Rivetti (BRA) and Kayack, owned by HF Farms LLC, riding to a time of 69.26 seconds. 

The week will culminate with the $138,600 1.55m Grand Prix CSI3* Sunday, January 30.  

Final Results – $36,600 Talus Speed CSI 3*

1) Lindsay Archer (USA) & Jarpur – 0 – 69.01

2) Nicky Galligan (IRL) & Java Miss Jordan – 0 – 69.12

3)  Cassio Rivetti (BRA) & Kayack – 0 – 69.26

Source: Press Release by Tori Bilas / Phelps Media Group for Desert International Horse Park

Photos: © Phelps Sports / Tori Bilas